Do These Lab Results Come Close To A Celiac Diagno

[healing]

I'm not feeling well and very discouraged at the moment. Diagnosed with lyme disease back in the spring of 05. I've had a persistent rash for 5 years, was ususally circular in nature and most often, if it popped up one side of body in one are, then it'd come to same are of body on other side... biopsied it at one time and it was non-specific and very resistent to high powered cortisones. After lyme diagnosis, I changed doctors and the doc I went to said that lyme and celiac symptoms are very similar and she ran blood work and said that my rash was from celiac and though blood results weren't strong, she thought I had disease. So on top of everything else, I've gone on this diet... I did not have terrible stomach problems and the other symptoms I had were very much in line with lyme, but lyme is 'the great immitator'... so that's not worth much.

Anyway, after two months plus on this diet, I go to a general doc, and he looks at my labs that the lyme specialist used to diagnose celiac and says my gliadins are fine.... the doc that diagnosed me very much into clinical diagnoses but I'm begininning to wonder if i'm not going through much difficulty for lttle reason... The rash is actually lifting some, I will admit. But the pain that you celiac sufferers go thru seems like a huge mess to go through and one not really be gluten intolerant...

My test results were as follows:

Gliadin IgG 5.0

Gliadin IgA 1.3

TTG IgG 1.6

TTG IgA 0.6

She used her own lab, in office. From what I can tell, I didn't meet any of her references it but she circled the 5.0 and said she felt it was enough along with neuro, pain, gastro symptoms to justify diagnoses...

What do yall think based on labs??? I've had a really miseralbe weekend and am having to make some other adjustments and know not to make too many at once. But I'm tempted to back to gluten next week and see what happens...

thanks for your time. walking in healing.

[tarnalberry]

We need to know the reference rages from the lab - it varies lab to lab and you can't interpret the results without the reference ranges.

[KaitiUSA]

Were your tests done when you were off of gluten? If you were not ingesting gluten then they would most likely come back negative so those tests are worthless.

Also, if you are a celiac and are not completely off gluten then you can still feel bad...gluten is found in things such as lipsticks, shampoos,lotions, soaps, etc. So it is important to eliminate every possibility.

An Enterolab may also be a good option for you. Also, a gene test may be at least a tad helpful. Without the gene you are 99.9% sure not to get celiac but you may be gluten intolerant then.

Have you looked into other food sensitivities? That could be an option too. Alot of celiacs have a problem with lactose when they first start the diet.

It also takes time for symptoms to go away. Keep in mind I do not know if you have celiac so it could be something else causing your symptoms but if it is celiac then it takes time on the diet.

[healing]

thanks for replying

here are the reference ranges

My test results were as follows:

Gliadin IgG 5.0  <10.

Gliadin IgA 1.3   <5.0

TTG IgG 1.6       <6Neg  6-9 weak pos  >9 pos

TTG IgA 0.6        <4 pos  4-10 weak pos  > 10 pos

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i was eating gluten at time of tests... thanks for asking.

what i didn't add... i started taking ambrotose plus several other of their products a week ago and stopped my regular supplements (magnesium being one of them)

my heart irreg. got progressively worse. last weekend was non stop and then a break mon/tues until last night. my heart has been skipping and doing extra beats since 6pm last night. i quit all the ambrotose etc on monday at doctors advice. the multivitamin was for weight loss and had a stimulant in it! duh, i should have know better.

i believe that the ambrotose actually began doing what it is designed to do and thus, all the fatigue, achy, nausea that accompanined the heart stuff. but don't know for sure, obviously.

i'm on doxycycline and most people have bad sun reaction with it. I haven't until last week! now am blistered - red, raw knuckles... i believe the ambrotose really changed my chemistry and the antixoxidant, etc started flushing my system of toxins. i had NO energy, fell flu-ish. pretty miserable.

so monday by doc recommened a heart specialist... and i have no health insurance. so i'm praying for wisdom and calmness.

i am really doubting celiac diagnosis but KNOW this is a bad time to throw in another variable so am still not intentionally eating gluten...

sorry for all the detail... thanks for your time, cj

[tarnalberry]

based on those labs, no I wouldn't think that celiac would be a likely answer, but false negatives are possible. you may want to try a dietary challenge (or more than one) to see how you react. (for instance, go gluten-free for three weeks, then have a day where you eat plenty of gluten, and see how you feel. of course, you need to hold other things constant, so you'd want to use gluten-free substitutions and keep to a fairly regular set of foods you'd eat.)

[FaithInScienceToo]

you may want to try a dietary challenge (or more than one) to see how you react.  (for instance, go gluten-free for three weeks, then have a day where you eat plenty of gluten, and see how you feel.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tarnalberry,

Sorry to jump in on you, but I don't think a gluten-challenge at this point is something this member should be considering - since he/she has no health insurance and is not in a stable place, physically...

Healing,

I am so sorry to hear of your health issues - I wish I had some advice, but I can't think of anything right now - other than to try to get some health insurance, if at all possible...and, I just don't feel a gluten-challenge right now would be wise - please be careful -

Gina

[KaitiUSA]

The tests don't indicate celiac(though there could be a chance it could be a false negative and in a beginning stage where the tests did not pick it up)

I think that the best way to really tell would be the diet because your body will be able to tell.

If you want more testing then a gene test, food sensitivity testing, and an enterolab would probably all help provide pieces to the puzzle.

[FaithInScienceToo]

I have to agree with Tiffany

I think that the best way to really tell would be the diet because your body will be able to tell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a bad idea IF cj's health wasn't SOOOOOO precarious right now...

CJ clearly states that he/she is VERY ill right now...

I must adamantly disagree...a gluten challenge at this point in time is NOT a wise suggestion...

Gina

[KaitiUSA]

Then more testing needs to be done.

If gluten is the problem then the symptoms would be taken care of with it. Is there really anything to lose by trying the diet? If anything it is healthier for you anyway so why not see if it takes care of symptoms.

I would personally test for any food sensitivities and look into every avenue of what could cause the symptoms and eliminate them one by one.

Have you had your thyroid checked? What you are describing with your heart sounds like what can happen with Graves Disease(hyperthyroidism) I had trouble with rapid heartbeat with it.

I hope you feel better soon

[tarnalberry]

Tarnalberry,

Sorry to jump in on you, but I don't think a gluten-challenge at this point is something this member should be considering - since he/she has no health insurance and is not in a stable place, physically...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why it's just something to consider. When considering doing anything, you weigh the pluses and minuses, and we can't really know where they lie for this poster. I agree - if the poster's health is very unstable, it may not be worth doing at this point in time, but possibly (or possibly not) in the future. Always a tough decision.

[FaithInScienceToo]

Kaiti -

I guess you missed this:

Cj IS currently gluten-free...

That's why I said he/she shouldn't try re-introducing gltuen right now...

Yes, later, when his/her health has stabilized...probably not a bad idea to see if it's a serious variable at that time...but, hopefully, Cj can get some health insurance before putting gluten back in the mix...

Gina

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PS... this was the info provided by CJ to us:

"So on top of everything else, I've gone on this diet... "

"Anyway, after two months plus on this "

"But I'm tempted to back to gluten next week and see what happens... "

[KaitiUSA]

Kaiti -

I guess you missed this:

Cj IS currently gluten-free...

That's why I said he/she shouldn't try re-introducing gltuen right now...

Yes, later, when his/her health has stabilized...probably not a bad idea to see if it's a serious variable at that time...but, hopefully, Cj can get some health insurance before putting gluten back in the mix...

Gina

------------------------------------------------------------------

PS... this was the info provided by CJ to us:

"So on top of everything else, I've gone on this diet... "

"Anyway, after two months plus on this "

"But I'm tempted to back to gluten next week and see what happens... "

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep- thanks Gina. I did miss that part. I do agree that staying gluten free would definitely be the best option at this point. If it is the gluten causing a problem it takes time and it took me 8 months to get back to normal. Try to stick with it and if it continues not to help then I would re evaluate things at that point and possibly then try the challenge. Has there been any improvement on the diet at all?

Hope you feel better soon

[Guest nini]

It's always tricky when you don't have good health insurance (or any) and can't afford to go to a lot of different doctors and get a lot of testing done.

Is there any kind of low cost medical clinic or do you qualify for medicaid, anything like that where you can get seen by a Dr.?

As far as reintroducing gluten into your diet. Don't do it just yet. If you are feeling somewhat better by being gluten-free, even if you are still having weird symptoms, a gluten-free diet can be very healthy even if you don't have celiac. But since you are having other health issues, I would encourage you to look into some kind of aid to help you with your medical expenses. Maybe a teaching hospital, or church assistance or govt. aid... there's got to be something available to help you through this crisis.

[healing]

you guys are great. i was put on thyroid meds about 3 months ago as well... low dose.

since posting, while waiting for dr's office to call with cardio. specialist, i got desperate and called family friend who is doctor. spoke with wife and later on, husband doc came by, listened to skips, extra beats and some racing and said that he felt i was not in danger. needed to get back on magnesium that i quit a week ago (long story), start exercising (walking) as soon as nausea passes, and he offered to give me some mild beta blockers and nausea meds...

he left his private practice a year ago to open a hospice program and is now also doing the night shift at his family's heart clinic so he is quite up on heart stuff... i'm choosing to trust his judgement. heart has settled down after two doses of beta blocker.

i'm probably on a cheating gluten free diet. don't intentionally eat any gluten products but do eat out a lot, fast food etc. try to avoid the mystery products but sure i get gluten slipped in.

i just think, why did she diagnose me with it in the first place???? and why not, AFTER i get feeling 'normal' again (only one variable change at a time) don't i try eating wheat, for example one day, and see what happens?? I wasn't stomach symptomatic in the first place... She felt that all my lyme symptoms might be celiac...

if i eat wheat, while i'm feeling 'good' and don't have a reaction... i'm just so sick of diagnoses i could scream!

[tarnalberry]

If you're going to be gluten-free, you've got to do it all the way. Getting a little bit, accidentally, here and there, is tantamount to not doing it at all, unfortunately. :-( (And I can certainly understand staying gluten-free for a while.) Keep taking a look around here and do your best to get rid of that extra gluten.

[KaitiUSA]

I agree that it is an all or nothing thing. If you still have gluten in any amount in your diet at all it will be causing damage still so your intestines will not heal and you just won't get to feeling better. If gluten is your problem then that could be one of the reasons you have not been feeling better if you are still getting it in your system.

Keep working at it and I hope you feel better.